About Foundation

Event Founders

The House of Forward Foundation

The House of Forward Foundation ("Grand Commission"), is a Canadian registered charitable foundation with a mission to encourage benevolence and secure the future of Canadian prosperity.The charity raises funds through various initiatives to fund charitable initiatives in two distinct areas:

Protection & Rehabilitation: for youth at risk

Accelerate & Support: for young entrepreneurs

Our unique model has a high return on investment (ROI) because lead sponsors underwrite event costs, so that maximum proceeds can be donated to beneficiary charities.

The Grand Commission Gala

The Grand Commission’s first initiative supported CovenantHouse to complete its $10M Anti-Sex Trafficking campaigncalled “Just Like a Girl You Know”. The event took place on June 7th 2017 with two components:

Trading Commission Donation: GMP, a leading Canadian Investment dealer, donated commissions for stock trades made that day. The Grand Commission was featured on BNN that morning and in the National Post leading up to the event.

Elegant Black Tie Gala: Hosted by Cheryl Hickey was held at the Ritz-Carlton in Toronto with over 300 guests, featuring a live auction, a performance by Karl Wolf & an exclusive poker tournament.

The event was an outstanding success raising over $500,000 for Covenant House.

"Just Like a Girl You Know"

Sex trafficking, the most common type of human trafficking in Canada, is largely domestic crime. Nearly 90% of victims are female as young as 13, and on average 17.

Toronto has been identified as a trafficking hub in Canada and city police estimate the number of victims may be in the thousands.

The “Just Like A Girl You Know” campaign aims to raise $10-million to help Covenant House fund its new, comprehensive anti-sex trafficking plan over the next five years.

The ambitious plan includes measures ranging from prevention to enhanced victim services, including the agency’s new transitional housing program. It also includes a research and evaluation component and the creation of online resources.

While homeless youth are at a high risk of being trafficking, unsuspecting young women and girls are being lured from malls, school yards and online. They are “just like a girl you know.” Covenant House has helped thousands of sexually exploited and trafficked victims over the past 35 years.

As Canada’s largest homeless youth agency, Covenant House Toronto changes the lives of at risk, homeless and trafficked youth. The agency provides the widest range of services under one roof. Every day, as many as 250 youth rely on its support.

More than a place to stay, Covenant House provides 24/7 crisis shelter and transitional housing onsite and in the community. They also provide comprehensive services including education, counselling, health care, employment assistance, job training and aftercare.